Amazon Prime

[ChicdeaC]

Yeah I buy stuff for the kiddo, and 3.0 and lots of Christmas gifts but also things like all the birthing tub accessories (cheaper than stores plus I don't have to drive to a pool supply store, a pet store and a hardware store to get the 3 things I needed).
Shoes, maternity clothes, electronics, etc.

plus I get amazon credit for several survey groups I belong to, so it's cheaper because essentially it's "free".

I just much prefer online shopping so that I don't have to run out over lunch or miss time at home or doing things like girls' night or yoga.

 

[Deacfreak07]

this is what i don't get. what types of things are you getting off amazon so much cheaper that make a $100 subscription worth it, instead of just going to the store? I think I made 10 online purchases last year, all for Christmas, and 2 of those were things amazon doesn't carry.

I am interested in taking advantage of amazon, but right now can't figure out how to order that much online.

I hate dealing with stores especially those around the mall. I usually get my running shoes for about 50% under what I can find them for in retail. Two pairs a year, and it's paid for itself.

 

[RacerDeac]

this is what i don't get. what types of things are you getting off amazon so much cheaper that make a $100 subscription worth it, instead of just going to the store?

Thinking of something while at work, placing the order from my phone and having it show up on my door 1-2 days later is infinitely easier than going to the store. Just last night I was sitting at a friend's house, thumbing through a book and decided to order it...scanned the barcode, ordered on Amazon and just got the notification that it's been delivered to my house. That beats the hell out of spending an hour after work to drive to a book store when I could be at home with my family (or reading my new book).

Hell, you could easily spend $100 on gas going to and from the store in a year. And the time savings can't easily be quantified. Besides, comparing prices on some of the big items I've bought, I'm absolutely sure I'm ahead $100 in price alone before you even worry about gas, time, etc.

 

[awakeandready]

I use Prime mostly for streaming and gifts. Most everyday items I get at the grocery store or Target once I have a list of things needed.

 

[PhDeac]

We get a monthly delivery of toilet paper, paper towels, and other things we always use that we never want to be without. We end up getting them cheaper than making a big run to Walmart.

 

[tsywake]

It's just easy as hell to order something off Amazon, free shipping that is there in 2-3 days. Any small thing you can think of. Certainly helps that I am in a large city where getting around for errands can be a major pain the ass.

I hate dealing with stores especially those around the mall. I usually get my running shoes for about 50% under what I can find them for in retail. Two pairs a year, and it's paid for itself.

All of this. Unless I have a large amount I need to purchase, its much easier to sit on my ass and order it off Amazon from my couch as soon as the first thought pops in my head.

 

[RollTheQuad06]

I piggyback with my dad's Prime account so I don't pay for it at all, but I definitely use Amazon way more because of the Prime. I don't think I'd pay even $50 for it and $100 does seem quite steep. It's most helpful for me at the holidays and I'd buy a $20 monthly membership for Christmas if that was offered.

 

[lbE08]

Yeah, the childcare stuff definitely makes sense, when you're just going through lots of nonperishable items. I don't buy too much stuff that's not a "specialty" item (ie: most of my money goes to bike/tri stuff) and I'd almost prefer to support the local shop for those items, regardless of whether or not i could buy them on amazon.

i should probably make a list of thigns i buy and price check, because yeah - stopping at the store/running errands is a drag after a full day of work, but usually it's to get produce/yogurt/meat which isn't something i'm getting from amazon anyway.

 

[GoDeacsGo]

We use Amazon a lot but just to be clear for those who don't have Prime. Shipping is not free. You still pay shipping (it's included in the price), you just get the expedited 2nd day shipping for the same price as "ground service" which could be 5-6 days depending on where you live and where it ships from.

 

[BeachBumDeac]

We use Amazon a lot but just to be clear for those who don't have Prime. Shipping is not free. You still pay shipping (it's included in the price), you just get the expedited 2nd day shipping for the same price as "ground service" which could be 5-6 days depending on where you live and where it ships from.

huh?

Are you just saying that the shipping costs are passed on and built into the price?

 

[ChicdeaC]

We use Amazon a lot but just to be clear for those who don't have Prime. Shipping is not free. You still pay shipping (it's included in the price), you just get the expedited 2nd day shipping for the same price as "ground service" which could be 5-6 days depending on where you live and where it ships from.

This is not the case for my prime. My 2 day shipping is free. If someone without prime buys the same item they pay the same price and then pay for shipping on top of that.

 

[ChicdeaC]

This is not the case for my prime. My 2 day shipping is free. If someone without prime buys the same item they pay the same price and then pay for shipping on top of that.

Clarifying that if you spend $35 or more and you don't have prime your ground shipping would be free. But I can spend $7 on something and get it 2 days later whereas if my mom bought it she'd have to pay shipping and it would be ground.

 

[GoDeacsGo]

Clarifying that if you spend $35 or more and you don't have prime your ground shipping would be free. But I can spend $7 on something and get it 2 days later whereas if my mom bought it she'd have to pay shipping and it would be ground.

I understand what you are saying but with a lot stuff we have purchased lately it would go something like this (using your $7 item).
Prime....$7 (includes 2nd day shipping).
Non prime....$4 (plus $2.99 shipping via ground).
I think with the potential class action suit steaming they will make things a lot closer to how your $7 scenario is moving forward.

 

[deacdiggler]

Thinking of something while at work, placing the order from my phone and having it show up on my door 1-2 days later is infinitely easier than going to the store. Just last night I was sitting at a friend's house, thumbing through a book and decided to order it...scanned the barcode, ordered on Amazon and just got the notification that it's been delivered to my house. That beats the hell out of spending an hour after work to drive to a book store when I could be at home with my family (or reading my new book).

Hell, you could easily spend $100 on gas going to and from the store in a year. And the time savings can't easily be quantified. Besides, comparing prices on some of the big items I've bought, I'm absolutely sure I'm ahead $100 in price alone before you even worry about gas, time, etc.

This is how the digglers roll too. Lots of random one off purchases of books or other items that I don't need immediately. The primary reason for me is the time savings from not running all over to pick stuff up.

 

[deacdiggler]

I understand what you are saying but with a lot stuff we have purchased lately it would go something like this (using your $7 item).
Prime....$7 (includes 2nd day shipping).
Non prime....$4 (plus $2.99 shipping via ground).
I think with the potential class action suit steaming they will make things a lot closer to how your $7 scenario is moving forward.

There is OFTEN a prime option that is cheaper than the alternatives.

 

[Milhouse]

you millennials are some lazy motherfuckers

 

[bigdoublezero]

Milhouse hates the Internet.

 

[Wakelaw2006]

I understand what you are saying but with a lot stuff we have purchased lately it would go something like this (using your $7 item).
Prime....$7 (includes 2nd day shipping).
Non prime....$4 (plus $2.99 shipping via ground).
I think with the potential class action suit steaming they will make things a lot closer to how your $7 scenario is moving forward.

There is OFTEN a prime option that is cheaper than the alternatives.

I'm with Diggler on this one - I can only remember one time when I would have come out ahead (or actually just even) using the non-prime option (w/o 2 day shipping though). I wonder if there are certain categories of items where this is more common?

 

[myDeaconmyhand]

I mainly buy movies from Prime, but I would agree with GoDeacsGo, often times the prime cost for a movie is exactly the same price as the most expensive non-prime option+shipping, and the prime costs fluctuate daily to match that price, even to the exact cent. If you have a bunch of items you like, but believe are too expensive, you can "Save them for later", and then every time you open your cart you will see the items that have changed prices. I've got about 50 or 60 films in mine and I check on my cart a few times a week to see if any of the prices have come down.

 

[RacerDeac]

There is OFTEN a prime option that is cheaper than the alternatives.

Exactly. I'm sure there are one-offs where you could pay for a cheaper item plus ground shipping and come out slightly ahead or the same, but in most cases, I can find a Prime item for less AND still get it to my house in 1-2 days (depending on which warehouse it comes from). And the upgrade for guaranteed 1-day shipping is huge as well on occasion.